The very name of the Lada XRAY hatchback is like a lot of unknowns. Has the French B0 platform got used to the next body? Is the new VAZ 1.8 engine reliable? And the robotic gearbox? And now, having completed the accelerated life tests of the Lada, we know a lot of answers to questions about how the XRAY will feel in five years or 100 thousand kilometers.

P yat years in five months of work ... Why not a time machine? But, as before, accelerated life tests are troublesome and very expensive.

Thousands of liters of gasoline and man-hours of the test team Autoreview at the Dmitrovsky training ground, 32 thousand kilometers of cobblestone, high-speed, mountain, dirt roads, exhausting both people and cars ... And in addition - a sixty-hour resistance to corrosion in salt fog, a thousand-fold raising and lowering windows, unfolding seats, slamming doors, hoods, trunk lids. But only such loads make it possible to equate each of the "resource" kilometers to three during normal operation, that is, to simulate a 100,000th run. And in addition to the speed of obtaining results, our resource test has another undeniable value - reproducibility: the load on all cars is identical, and this gives us the right to rank their reliability.

And in this rating - replenishment. In the spring, we bought two Frets: XRAY and Vesta (we will also talk about it soon). -The hatchback was chosen in the Optima version with air conditioning, an audio system and front power windows for 653 thousand rubles, now this has risen in price to 690 thousand.

Right off the bat. Both after the first and after the last of ten six-hour visits to a special chamber (it creates the most “nutritious” environment for corrosion: saturated salt fog with a 3.5% NaCl solution, a temperature of 37 degrees and a humidity of 95%), the Xray body did not rust at all - even in the deepest, to the metal, notches, made ahead of time by us on each body element. That is, even after three to five salty winters, the body of the Lada XRAY has every chance to look like new. For VAZ cars, such durability is uncharacteristic: both, and, not to mention, did not even dream of approaching a similar result. But for the same Renault cars, such a picture is quite ordinary: the Sandero hatchback.

The results of the efforts of the corrosion chamber are visible only on some details under the hood, and the notches on all body elements look original

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But the rear door seals upset us right away: it would seem that there are two solid contours (both along the door perimeter and on the body itself), however, after the first rain, we admired the dirt in the openings, and after exercises on a dusty dirt road - painted brown Dmitrovsky loam with interior elements. Vazovtsy heeded our complaints - and now Yekaterinburg Uralelastotechnica supplies modernized seals to the conveyor.

The front door seals do their job better, and the rear ones worse.

By the way, climbing on our X-ray through the mud is so-so and for another reason: with a non-switchable traction control system, the hatchback strove to sit down even in harmless places. And in September, the VAZ team added an ESP disable button. But they still think about how best to fix the brake pipe that runs along the rear suspension beam: when reversing in a deep rut, a wet clay comb pulled it out of the clamps.

Leaky windshield washer nozzles are to blame for the influx of paint after painting them in body color

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The flood in the engine compartment after a more or less prolonged rain has its own reason: gaskets under the windshield washer nozzles. More precisely, their absence! Water seeps under the nozzles, impregnates the noise insulation of the hood, which swells - and arranges drops. In Tolyatti, they admitted that the cause of the leak was flash when the jets were painted in body color, and they solved the problem radically: they simply stopped painting the jets. Unless for limited batches of cars (such as the Anniversary series for the fiftieth anniversary of the plant), while introducing additional control of jets after painting. So we, like other owners of "non-anniversary" Frets with pretty jets, are left with a file and sealant.

For three months we have collected a collection of three leaky expansion tanks of the cooling system

However, for the appearance of dampness under the hood, there was periodically another, much more unpleasant, reason. And if you consider that the XRAY is deprived of a temperature gauge in the cooling system, then it is more dangerous: expansion tanks that lose their tightness. Moreover, the first gushed on the second day of testing, after 240 km! And soon, willy-nilly, we learned to change them almost with our eyes closed: we had to carry out this procedure three times during the run, and each time they made holes in the same way, along the weld.

Vazovtsy stated that the trouble with the tanks was pure wine from the supplier, the Togliatti company Ekoplast. And they promised, when contacting the service, to replace them according to the service campaign (almost 1300 machines with an unsuccessful node were produced). We finalized the tanks in early June: they changed the technological process of plastic welding. And it seems to have worked: we, having installed an updated one in the middle of the distance, finished with it.

A little earlier, back in May, in Tolyatti, they finalized the technical process and another welding - fastening the bushings of the decorative engine cover: in our Xrey from the first batches, they will certainly fly off during dismantling. And at our first attempt to undock the intake system resonator and the engine air filter housing, the latch fell off - the engineers and the supplier took a long time to choose the way to fix the problem, and since November it was decided to make the housing from a different, more elastic material.

The bushings of the plastic engine cover were jumping out of place due to poor welding

And how did the new 1.8-liter engine (122 hp) with the index 21179 behave? As a basis, let me remind you, the sixteen-valve engine 1.6 of the 21126 series, which had long been familiar from Kalina and Priors, was taken, but the new crankshaft gave an increase of 200 "cubes", and in general the design was changed so much that there were practically no interchangeable parts left.

We didn’t drive even a dozen kilometers at maximum speed along the high-speed ring: having worked hard near the maximum power revolutions (and this is about 5600 rpm), the engine began to mope, work intermittently and immediately turned on the check engine signal. The team of rescuers-engines that we urgently called from Tolyatti issued a verdict: we need to recalibrate the engine control unit. Therefore, all Xreys with a 1.8 engine that have rolled off the assembly line since mid-July have new firmware - with an index ending in XF06, while the previous one had XF05. And on previously released cars, dealers are required to update the updated software for free.

We have yet to figure out the reasons for the increased consumption of engine oil.

The interruptions are gone. But in the first quarter of the run, the engine began to grow oil consumption before our eyes, soon reaching five liters per ten thousand kilometers. And after a few minutes of parking with the engine running, XRAY began to pretend to be a steam locomotive, spewing a thick gray smoke screen with a characteristic smell from the chimney. At the same time, we did not reveal wear of the piston group, however, we noticed “excess” oil in the crankcase ventilation system.

We are back to the VAZ engine engineers. And they admitted that the 1.8 engine from the first batches (they are talking about only a few dozen copies) may have problems both due to the quality of the processing of the valve stems (they are supplied from China by Mahle) and due to the cleanliness of the rubber mixtures when launching the production of valve stem seals at the Velkont plant in Kirovo-Chepetsk. And they quickly sent instructions to their dealers on how to fix the problem under warranty: with a slight malaise, when the exhaust is only tinted with bluish smoke without noticeable waste, just fill in thicker oil, and with an exacerbation of the disease, if the oil consumption is measured in several liters per ten thousand kilometers, you will have to change the cylinder head assembly.

And we were already thinking about whether to change our Ixrey cylinder head, as the engine unexpectedly ... went on the mend! By the end of the run, the smokiness disappeared, and the appetite became modest to one and a half liters. This, however, is still a lot: VAZ engines in their normal state did not differ in such gluttony. Therefore, we are waiting for the results of the analysis of oil samples periodically taken from the engine, which the Total petrochemical concern helps us to do, and the verdict of Uncle Vanya Shadrichev, who will disassemble the Xray engine for a complete diagnosis.

The heat shield of the muffler burst near the mount

What else happened to Xrey? At the very beginning, we were under warranty, but, as VAZ employees assure, there were no similar incidents with other cars. If our water-filled mannequins had legs (and the cars pass half of the run with two or three 75-kilogram “passengers” and half a centner of lead shot in the trunks), towards the end of the run they would start to freeze: after 29 thousand kilometers, the corrugated pipe for supplying cold air to glove compartment. After another thousand kilometers, the cracked heat shield of the exhaust system muffler required replacement, and the spare wheel began to dance on bumps: the pin of its fastening to the floor fell off.

The only claim to the robotic box is the sweating of the left wheel drive oil seal

The air supply hose to the glove compartment cracked in several places at once

In the trunk, the bar for fixing the stud securing the spare wheel cracked

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And did the "robot" VAZ-2182 cope with the load? After all, once the five-step at the Lada Priora only miraculously lasted until the end of the resource tests, and on the Lada Grant it completely required a bulkhead with a run of 15 thousand kilometers. But the “robot” Iksrey - for nothing with a bad temper - everything is like water off a duck's back! The German electric drives of the gear selection mechanism and the clutch drive of the ZF brand are themselves alive and well, and made life easier for the most loaded synchronizer of the second gear of the VAZ box. So the biggest trouble that happened was the oil seal of the wheel drive shaft that fogged up during a run of 28 thousand kilometers.

At the front struts, the compression stroke buffers combined with the anther first collapsed, and then the shock absorbers themselves also failed.

We are not testing cars on the French B0 platform for the first time: we have been in our hands, Renault Sandero and. And every time - their nuances. For example, the Duster endured the test best of all, requiring no replacement parts at all, the Renault Sandero needed a single rear shock absorber. And Almere had the hardest run: the stabilizer struts failed, and because of the overweight stern, in addition to the suspension beam with worn out silent blocks, we had to change the rear shock absorbers four times.

. Stabilizer links are inexpensive - but also short-lived">

The rear shock absorber failed in the same way as the front ones - due to a leak
. Stabilizer struts are inexpensive - but also short-lived

And from whom did the XRAY take an example with its original rear suspension beam, increased track and other spring and damper settings? Alas, from Almeria. The rear shock absorber gave up - however, one - with a run of 18 thousand kilometers. But in addition to the same stabilizer struts, which wore out after 27 thousand kilometers, and the silent blocks of the rear beam (collapsed after 31 thousand), after 26 thousand kilometers both front shock absorbers were needed, in which the compression stroke buffers first collapsed.

In the silent blocks of the rear suspension beams, the rubber jumpers were completely torn

A gloomy picture - and, alas, completely atypical for primordially VAZ cars: neither Priora nor Granta had such troubles with the suspension.

In French, Iksrey also has extensive maintenance (let me remind you that for the purity of the experiment we buy spare parts exclusively from dealers, and the frequency of maintenance under test conditions is reduced by 20%, that is, the interservice mileage was 12 thousand kilometers). Unlike Lada Vesta, which at the first MOT is content with only new oil and filters, XRAY (exactly like Renault Sandero) demanded that the cabin and air filters be updated, and the second time, in addition to all three filters, spark plugs.

The rear pads are erased in the same way as the front ones - unevenly. To replace them, the drum must be removed from the hub along with the bearing.

As a result, a completely “Logan” amount of 10,395 rubles was spent on consumables for scheduled maintenance. Of course, "French" prices - both for suspension parts marked Renault, and for brake pads with discs of the same name (and XRAY excelled, for the first time in the history of testing, having managed to erase the pads in the rear drum brakes), so as a result, MOT and repairs reduced the editorial budget by 67,575 rubles. Which, taking into account the cost of tires and fuel, determines for the Lada XRAY in our reliability rating only fourteenth place out of nineteen.

The handbrake cable braid is frayed with its own retainer, wonderfully attached directly to the plastic gas tank

And even the fact that the prices for spare parts after our previous testing seasons increased by 30-50% (and for tires by 10-15%) does not change the balance of power: any of the Frets without French blood impurities cost us less than XRAY. And of the cars on the B0 platform, only the Nissan Almera sedan was more expensive.

Well, it remains for us to find out how the Lada XRAY will endure the upcoming frontal “insurance” crash test using the RCAR method at a speed of 15 km / h, which allows us to estimate the cost of subsequent restoration. Isn't French too cheap?

XRAY did not surprise me with a set of parts that required replacement: shock absorbers, silent blocks, brake pads, discs. Everything is predictable. Unless the rear brakes almost made it to the end of the run; I did not expect this, because before there were no problems with the “drum” pads. The trouble with a bunch of bursting expansion tanks is understandable: dealers in warehouses had exactly the same defect that was installed at the factory.

I was afraid for the new VAZ engine, but towards the end of the run it stopped smoking, and the oil began to consume moderately. The "robot" functioned horribly from the very beginning, giving hope that it would break. But fundamentally, he did not get worse, and so he approached the finish line.

I think that X proved to be a strong middle peasant. But what I definitely don’t like is the prices for spare parts, kind words do not fall on the tongue. Yes, and they are not in stock - order and wait. There is, of course, a three-year and one hundred thousandth guarantee; but it is only flawed: the mass of details does not fall under it. The same shock absorbers, for example. Pads and discs are generally consumables. So the content of this machine will cost a pretty penny.

The inevitable coming replacement of foreign suppliers with domestic ones is also sad. At least the quality of the product will not rise from this. Previously, it was possible to put up with such a situation: let it be poor, but cheap, affordable. Now, when new VAZ models have risen sharply in price, the buyer has the right to demand quality factor from them. Will he get it? There are big doubts.

Head@s of the people

Messages from the Internet forums xrayclub.ru, ladaxray.ru, lada-xray.net

The tank burst on a run of 4250 km, the car has been in the service at the dealer for a week, they agreed on a replacement under warranty. But there are no tanks: we are waiting, they say, the car from the factory, we can’t wait.

Changed the expansion tank three times. On the third, I bought a cover from a two-liter Megan, drove eight thousand kilometers - so far everything is in order.

The car ran only four thousand kilometers, and the oil fell below the middle according to the marks on the dipstick! With smooth acceleration, the “robot” abuses high gears, does not allow the engine to spin up more than 1900-2000 rpm, and detonation is clearly audible.

During a cold start, the valve lifters tap on the 1.8 engine. When the car warms up, there is no knocking.

After starting the engine, after three seconds, the speed drops to a minimum. Then, after a couple of seconds, they rise to the workers.

The power steering whistles. More precisely, it is a squeak or an electronic sound. Appears during warm-up and when cornering.

After inspection, the dealer found play in the upper shaft of the steering rack. There is only one way out - replacing the rail.

Immediately after the purchase, I noticed the increased jumping ability of the rear beam. On the "speed bumps" not weak rides, as well as generally on bad roads.

Sometimes when turning the steering wheel, a sound is heard, as if something inside were rubbing against plastic. The most interesting thing is that after some time after the start of the trip, the knock completely disappears.

On bumps, the steering wheel must be held with both hands: on each pothole it pulls back and forth. In general, the car shakes on the highway, it is difficult to go faster than 80 km / h, it jumps all the time.

Lada X Ray

Description Lada X Ray

Lada X Ray is a small crossover from AvtoVAZ, developed on the B0 platform (Renault Duster, Sandero, etc.) and produced since 2016. This car, despite its body type, has a front-wheel drive layout. The X Ray's goal is to capture market share in the fairly popular and growing compact crossover segment.
Lada X Ray competitors: Renault Duster/Sandero, Nissan Terrano, Hyundai Creta, Chery Tiggo, Great Wall M4, Geely MR Cross and other similar SUVs.

Like all the latest models from Tolyatti? X-Ray got the freshest motors possible. The weakest option uses the Vesta engine, this is a 1.6-liter 21129. Lada X Ray with a Nissan HR16 (H4M) engine is a more expensive option, although this engine has a displacement similar to 21129. The most high-torque options received 1.8-liter 21179 engines, their power 122 hp

WikiMotors will tell you everything about X Ray engines, how they differ from each other, their main problems and their causes. As well as technical characteristics, resource,what oil to pour, how often it needs to be changed and the volume of this oil. In the articles we will touch on the topic of engine tuning, how to slightly increase power and not significantly reduce the resource.

Getting closer to the official start of production Lada X Ray, a compact crossover from AvtoVAZ. More and more information and fresh news seeps into the network. Today we propose to discuss all the details of Lada XRay engines. Moreover, this information has become public. They were unveiled by the manufacturer himself at the last exhibition of SUVs and crossovers in Moscow.

It is already clear that Lada X Ray will be created on the platform of a compact hatchback with high ground clearance Renault Sandero Stepway. With almost the same wheelbase, the cars have a different body length. domestic development Lada XRay more. In addition, the Russian compact crossover will receive more powerful powertrains. Buyers will be offered a choice of three gasoline atmospheric engines of various designs.

The base engine of the X Ray will be a 1.6 liter engine with a capacity of 106 hp, tested on other Lada models. The 16-valve unit will be combined with a 5-speed manual and front-wheel drive. As for the engine design, it is an in-line 4-cylinder DOHC with a cast-iron cylinder block and a timing belt. The progenitor of this motor was the legendary VAZ-2108 engine. Therefore, hydraulic compensators are not provided in the design of the cylinder head. Two camshafts move the valves by means of pushers. In the design of the pushers themselves, which are inverted "glasses", adjusting "pyataks" are provided. It is by selecting nickels of different thicknesses that the valve clearance is adjusted.

More powerful 122 hp Lada X Ray engine, this is essentially the same VAZ 16-valve. But with an increased working volume, Lada XRay 1.8 is structurally a copy of the 1.6 liter engine. The increase in volume was due to changes in the connecting rods, pistons and crankshaft. The connecting rods have become shorter, the pistons are lighter, and the crankshaft has received a different geometry. Thanks to this, the engine has not only become more powerful, but also more high-torque. After all, the torque has increased to 173 Nm at 3500 rpm. This figure for the 1.6-liter VAZ engine is only 148 Nm. The same cast iron cylinder block and timing belt. Another feature of this engine can be considered that it is with this unit that a robotic automatic gearbox will be installed on the XRay.

Another Lada X Ray engine with a working volume of 1.6 liters and a power of 114 hp. (156 Nm) has a mediocre relationship with Avtovaz. After all, this is a modern unit that is installed on all mass models of the Renault-Nissan concern. The motor itself appeared on Nissan models only in 2006, that is, the motor is completely “fresh”. The main difference from the VAZ engines is the presence of a chain in the timing, a compact aluminum cylinder block. The presence of a system for changing the valve timing. True, this motor does not have hydraulic lifters. And the power unit will be combined on the XRay with a 5-speed manual from Renault. The most interesting thing is that this Renault-Nissan engine and box are already being produced at Avtovaz today.

If the situation with the engines has cleared up, then other parameters and characteristics are still unknown. Let's say what dimension will be the wheels on the Lada X Ray? What tires will be on a compact crossover? It is advisable to know what the manufacturer will offer in winter and summer tires. You can until the options for winter tires. Moreover, the choice of tires is quite wide, and the prices are very attractive. In principle, there you can pick up tires for the novelty of the domestic auto industry. Moreover, today it is known for sure that the release of XRay is officially scheduled for December 15th. True, the car will appear at dealers not earlier than January, February next year.

The Lada Vesta and Lada Xray models are long-awaited new products from the AvtoVAZ concern. Thanks to modern design, a successful combination of equipment and technical characteristics, as well as reasonable prices, such cars began to quickly gain popularity. Lada Vesta was the first to go on sale and many motorists have already met with it.

As for Lada X Ray, the model was released not so long ago. It is quite obvious that maximum attention is focused on the engine on this model, since experienced motorists in the CIS always rely on the reliability and resource of the power unit.

The engine has become less vibration-loaded due to the method of mounting the internal combustion engine in the engine compartment. Also, the modified inlet and outlet reduced the overall noise during the operation of the unit in different modes. As a result, acoustic comfort has increased significantly and the level of vibrations that are transmitted to the body has decreased.

• The Nissan H4M-HR16DE engine is the brainchild of AvtoVAZ partners, namely the Renault and Nissan Alliance. The engine is well known and has long been installed on popular models of Nissan Note, Tiida, Nissan Qashqai, etc.

Such a motor also has a working volume of 1.6, an in-line engine with four cylinders and 16 valves. This unit with distributed fuel injection, the maximum power is 110 hp. s., the torque characteristic is at around 150 Nm. Timing chain drive, which increases the reliability of the power plant.

Acceleration of the Lada Xrey to 100 km/h with such an internal combustion engine takes 11.1 seconds, the maximum speed is 181 km/h. The engine complies with the Euro 4/5 standard, can consume AI-92 or 95 gasoline. Fuel consumption in the urban cycle is fixed at 8.9, in the combined cycle 6.8, while driving on the highway 5.6 liters.

Note that this motor for Russia is somewhat deformed. In other countries, this engine "gives out" from 115 to 118 hp, however, in the Russian Federation and the CIS, 110 "horses", taking into account the quality of fuel, taxation, etc.

On the one hand, it follows from this that, although on the other hand, the requirements for the quality of engine oil and the frequency of its replacement are somewhat reduced. We also add that on new engines, valve adjustment, as a rule, is required by 70-80 thousand km. run. In practice, it turns out that within the framework of maintenance at 80-100 thousand, the circuit changes, the valves are adjusted and the engine can be operated further for a long time.

The specified motor also received, the phase shifter is mounted on the intake camshaft. Also worth noting is the electronic throttle and two nozzles per cylinder. As a result, the engine turned out to be high-torque and economical, and in terms of environmental friendliness, it was possible to achieve quite acceptable performance.

• The 1.8 engine on the Lada X Ray with the VAZ-21179 index, for obvious reasons, is of particular interest to many motorists, since this engine is the most powerful in the line of units. The motor is a new domestic development, and was created separately for the Vesta and Xr models

When creating a new internal combustion engine, the engineers took the VAZ 21126 power plant as a basis, using a similar one. So, the engine is in-line, 4-cylinder, with a transverse arrangement and 16 valves. The working volume is 1774 "cubes".

Maximum power 122 hp with., which is available at 6050 rpm. In terms of torque characteristics, the maximum torque is 170 Nm and is available at 3,750 rpm, which is a good indicator for everyday use.

The car accelerates to hundreds in 10.9 seconds, and the "maximum speed" is 186 km / h. As for the data on fuel consumption, in the city the indicated power unit on the X Ray consumes 8.6 liters per 100 km. way, outside the city, consumption is 5.8 liters, in the combined cycle 6.8 liters of 95th gasoline.

The gas distribution mechanism has a belt drive, as well as, which improved the filling and ventilation of the cylinders in different modes of operation of the internal combustion engine. It is noteworthy that the new engine for Lada Xray is very different from other AvtoVAZ units.

The changes affected the engine itself and its parts, throttle valve, valve mechanism and much more. The throttle is now without a mechanical drive, lightweight ones are used, the valve timing control has received separate channels for supplying oil.

The increased piston stroke made it possible to realize a larger working volume, has an increased crank radius, the oil pump has increased productivity, etc. also lightweight, it was equipped with high-performance nozzles, which were specially modified by specialists for this type of internal combustion engine.

What is the result

As you can see, the Lada X Ray car is equipped with modern and reliable internal combustion engines. At the same time, many buyers are in no hurry to overpay for a Nissan engine on Xray, opting for domestic developments. As a rule, the most powerful VAZ 1.8 in the line is in high demand.

By the way, it is worth highlighting that although the VAZ-21179 is produced in the Russian Federation, a large number of components and parts are imported. For example, camshafts come from South Korea, Mahle valves are used in the design, etc.

It turns out that although the engine is domestic, in fact it is practically a “foreign” motor. As a result, we can safely assume that with proper build quality and maintenance, the reliability of this unit will not be inferior to imported counterparts.

Read also

Tuning the Lada Vesta engine, affordable ways to increase power and improve the characteristics of the Vesta power unit. Chip tuning Lada Vesta, what you need to know.

The first car for the new 1.8-liter engine from AVTOVAZ was the Lada X Ray crossover. Since the engine is new, the features of its operation, capabilities and reliability are not well known to LADA XRAY buyers. But some nuances were revealed during the LADA XRAY resource test, which was conducted by the Autoreview magazine. During the test, the engine suddenly began to intensively consume oil and even blue smoke appeared. At the end of the resource test, the LADA XRAY engine was disassembled and the problem was found out. Also, representatives of the magazine assessed the wear of the motor. All the details about this are disclosed in the article "Lada XRAY 1.8: why did the engine smoke?". Official Lada Club publishes this article in full.

Lada XRAY 1.8: why did the engine smoke?

What can we expect from the new VAZ-21179 engine - the one with a volume of 1.8 liters? Colleague Yuri Vetrov told a lot about its design, and I happened to watch this unit during our accelerated life tests of the Lada XRAY hatchback, and not just watch. The motor threw out such a knee (not to be confused with a crankshaft) that as soon as the XRAY more or less safely reached the finish line, I immediately dismantled this engine. It is interesting, from what point did he suddenly open an maslozhor, and even with an alarming gray haze? Well, I collected it later.

Let me remind you that the engine is built on the basis of block 1.6, but with the same height and diameter of the cylinders, it received additional channels for lubrication and cooling systems. As for the rest of the details, they are almost all original.

The working volume was increased by increasing the piston stroke, for which a different crankshaft was needed. Pistons and connecting rods have also been changed, with the latter shortened by 5mm to keep the block stock stock. By the way, shortening the connecting rod is a measure that minders do not welcome very much: the lateral forces perceived by the skirt increase. With an increase in the piston stroke, its average speed also increased - by as much as 11%. So there are prerequisites for more intensive wear of the connecting rod and piston group.

In the block head there are other camshafts, an inlet phase shifter, gas channels are expanded, and valves are also enlarged.

I will omit further details for the time being, but the above is enough to consider the engine new. And I will not reproach its creators for giving priority not to peak power, but to torque: those 148 Nm that a “regular” 1.6 engine produces at 4200 rpm are available here already from two thousand, and then up to 170 Hm. And I will not reproach the engine for gluttony - however, if we are talking about gasoline, and not about oil. As for the oil, the motor began to eat up his engine right from the very beginning.

As I noticed this, the first thing I looked at was the instructions. Here in the little book for Vesta, which was equipped with a “regular” 1.6 engine, it says in Russian and white that oil consumption is allowed at three ppm of fuel consumption. For example, with a gasoline consumption of 10 l / 100 km, the oil should burn no more than 0.03 liters (or about 25 g). A lot, of course, but a landmark is indicated when to start sounding the alarm. I did not find such information in the instructions for Ixrey at all, but along the way I got the impression that the manuals for these two machines were made by people working not only in different factories, but also in different countries. Sometimes the same terms have different meanings!

Meanwhile, before the first MOT, which, according to the conditions of our tests, we carried out not at 15,000 kilometers, as prescribed, but at 12,000, XRAY absorbed almost four liters of oil. But even worse, a smoky plume stretched behind the typewriter.

We, as usual in the course of resource tests, reported the trouble to VAZ specialists. They took a break (we didn’t take it, XRAY continued the test run around the test site) - and after three weeks they informed that on the batch of engines, including ours, there were defective Chinese-made Mahle valves - with rough traces of machining. And then they generously offered us to replace the head assembly under warranty: they say, this campaign will affect all owners of cars with engines from this defective batch. We already agreed (after all, our tests simulate real operation, albeit in a highly compressed form), as oil consumption began to wane. Yes, so rapidly that it has halved compared to the original!

Why such a miraculous healing? An autopsy, only an autopsy will show.

Before disassembling, I measured the compression - and was surprised again: it not only did not fall, but in two cylinders, the first and third, it even increased - from 14.7 to 15.1. And the specialists of the petrochemical concern Total (who monitored the condition of the engine according to the analysis of oil samples regularly supplied by us) go there too. Like, if before the middle of the run the motor wore out 9-13% faster than the norm, then after 20 thousand it went, as they say, to zero. And at the finish line it showed a wear coefficient of 0.69 - that is, less than its own kind during normal operation.

I will not give a catchphrase that rashly flew off the tongue in the course of even a partial disassembly of the motor. Today, after all, few people are puzzled by maintainability: they shoved the engine under the hood, and goodies. The French have long been noticed that they are much more for extraordinary ideas, and XRAY, let me remind you, is Renault's flesh and blood - it was built on the B0 platform. And it is also clear that in the process of upgrading the engine, forced measures were taken, which also did not at all facilitate the work of the repairman.

First, I decided to look at the condition of the pistons and cylinders, which is why I started by unscrewing the pan. You can't get to the two rear bolts, you need to move the gearbox. Okay, I move the units apart, but the key does not fit into the resulting gap: now the flywheel is a hindrance. Removing the box and the clutch was not part of my plans, therefore I turned the smallest head - and together with the extension cord, not without the help of a hammer, drove it into the slot. Looking ahead, I’ll inform you that before reinstalling, I finalized the pallet with a chisel and a file: the tool now passes for a sweet soul, and the design has become easier.

Then it was the turn of the intake manifold: it is necessary to unscrew the bolts and nuts securing it to the head. Fortunately, after the insurance crash test, the destroyed front bumper was already removed, and access to the fasteners has improved significantly. Under the collector, by the way, there is a ramp with nozzles - and I don’t envy the one who starts changing them.

And here, it would seem, is a completely simple matter - to drain the coolant. But to access the plug on the block, you must first remove the starter! Along the way, he also turned off the generator - it will be easier to put the auxiliary drive belt back on.

With the removal of the front and valve covers of the engine, things went easier - and the toothed pulleys, rollers, belt and camshafts opened up. Turning the crankshaft to the top dead center in the first cylinder, carefully put a lot of marks on all the details, because the pulleys are fixed on the shafts only by tightening the bolts.

After removing the head, I saw the pistons covered with a greasy layer of soot. Here it is, the reason for the increased compression! Unscrewing the connecting rod caps, removed them. The working surface of the cylinders, let me remind you, is called a mirror, I saw it: not the slightest trace of wear! At least by eye.

On this, in anticipation of the arrival of VAZ specialists, I suspended work, and a couple of days later, in the presence of the factory workers, I began measuring the details. The indicator needle barely deviates, showing minimal wear. There are zeros along the axis of the crankshaft, and the gap between the pistons and cylinders is the same everywhere - 0.06 mm, only three "hundreds" more than the new motor.

Disassembly of the head took place in the usual manner. Frankly, I expected to see valves completely overgrown with soot, but the picture is much more favorable. The seats are completely clean, but the risks on the valve stems are clearly visible! Because of them, as the factory workers suggested, the oil was pumped through the caps. I hope that their statement that the path to marriage is blocked will also be confirmed. And for myself, the decrease in the maslozhora in the process of testing is explained by running in: the irregularities on the rods gradually smoothed out - fortunately, without having time to cause fatal damage to the caps.

It's time to fold the motor out of this heap of parts again, but first the most dreary procedure is cleaning all the mating surfaces from the old sealant. Then, having lubricated with oil, I introduce the piston group into place. I tighten the connecting rod caps, pull the head, then the shafts, pulleys, belt, rollers go ... At my request, the VAZ workers brought a drawing of a mandrel for fixing the shafts and installation instructions. It is much easier to work with rigging, now you can’t go wrong with the phases - and it’s no wonder that everything coincided with the marks that I made ahead of time.

An exciting moment of launch - and the engine rustled at idle. No haze.

Or maybe it was worth replacing the head, and even as an assembly, under warranty? I will not take the liberty of giving confident advice. By the way, colleagues called five branded VAZ stations and found out that so far the owners of Lad with 1.8 engines had not complained about the oil burner.

I have come to the same conclusion for myself. If I faced the choice of a new Lada, I would prefer the one with the 1.8 engine. "Cubes" were added a little, but the traction is good. I don't have any concerns about reliability. The main thing is that the lesson should go to the future for the Vazovites: you need to carefully keep an eye on suppliers, especially those that carry goods from China.